


Irony of Fate

by echoing_winds



Category: Tales of Destiny
Genre: Angst, Gen, Violence, it's pure angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 00:27:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9211733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echoing_winds/pseuds/echoing_winds
Summary: Sometimes, one desaster hunts the other. Leon had to learn that the hard way.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [@rieeemagne](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=%40rieeemagne).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY RIE! I hope you have a great one with lots of fun and presents and an overall good time! Well, I also tried to warn you but you insisted you wanted angst, so here we go! Too bad we both love Leon and angst, so it was pretty easy what I would write as your birthday gift! Well, it did escalate a little, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Listening to the sound of the steady rain outside, Leon cleaned the blood off Chaltier's blade, his eyes fixed on the Swordian, yet looking right through him, the emptiness eating away at him. He tried to block out any voices within his mind, and he was grateful for Chaltier being unusually quiet this evening. It should be evening by now. Leon had covered the windows, blocking out any light. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something, someone was watching him.

_ Say one thing. Say, 'I want to change the future.' If you do that, I will free you from your pain and give you everything you ever wanted. Love and glory. _

He clutched Chaltier's hilt, trying to push that voice away.

_ "Young master..." _ It was the first time Chaltier spoke ever since  _ it  _ happened. He sounded tired.  _ "Try to get some rest." _

"And just to be haunted by nightmares? You already had better ideas, Chal," Leon scoffed, but his voice lacked any harshness. He was tired, but he knew just as well that there was no point in sleeping. All he would see would be their faces twisted with pain. All he would hear would be their screams of agony. He couldn't stand going through that. Not again.

But he was starting to feel the consequences of staying awake for too long. His head was aching, and when he fixed his eyes too long on one spot, he could see things slowly but surely starting to spin. He would have to sleep soon. But how could he, when every second of it, he was back in the cavern, repeating it over and over again?

_ "I know it's not easy, but you'll feel better afterwards," _ Chaltier promised.  _ "I will watch over you while you rest." _

That was a weak promise but Leon was too tired to argue any further. Maybe, just maybe he would be able to sleep soundly through the night. Not that he had much hope. But he would have to sleep sooner or later, or he would collapse. There was no escape from those thoughts.

"Leon, please! You gotta listen to me!"

* * *

 

Leon almost didn't hear Rutee's anguished cry, as it was drowned by the groans of Stahn before him. Squinching his eyes shut, Leon stabbed Chaltier's blade one more time into Stahn's chest. Blood welled where he met flesh.

"Leon!"

He heard Stahn breathing heavily, felt his body spasm underneath him. He didn't dare open his eyes. If he did, he wouldn't be able to go on. There was no time for regrets anymore, though. Woodrow and Philia were already lying slaughtered behind them, and now Stahn was going to join them. That meant only Rutee was left. Would he really be able to kill her, though? She was his sister, after all.

_ If it means that Marian will be save _ , he reminded himself, his throat thickening.

"... Le... o... n..."

"Stop it!"

Taking a deep breath, Leon forced himself to look at his old friend taking his last breaths. Even now, even after everything, Stahn's eyes were still shining so brightly. It made Leon sick. He wanted to wipe that stupid look off his face once and for all. How could he still stare at him like this? Leon had betrayed them all and now... Now he was going to kill them all, one after the other. That fool shouldn't look at him like that anymore.

"What are you waiting for? Do it! Kill him!" A voice, strangely familiar and yet unbeknownst to him, tried to spur him on. 

For a moment, Leon wanted to drop Chaltier, to stop everything.

However, it was too late for regrets now. There would be no second chances for him now. He had to finish what he had started. He wouldn't be able to go back anymore. When he had decided to step on this path, he knew there would be no going back anymore.

Rising to steady feet, Leon turned around to face Rutee who was lying just out of reach. To avoid her from interfering, he had broken her legs and tossed Atwight away. Now she was nothing but a broken mess before him.

Her eyes were filled with sorrow, tears rolled down her cheeks. "How could you...?!" She screamed.

Staring coldly at her, he kneeled down in front of her. "I told you," he reminded her, "I don't care about parents or siblings. I will kill everyone if I have to." His voice was steadier than he thought it would be.

"You traitor...!" The sorrow faded from her eyes and was replaced by pure hatred. At least it would be easier if she hated him. Yes, there would be no way around it. After everything he had done, how could she not hate him? How could anyone not hate him? He didn't deserve better. He was nothing but a traitor and a murderer.

But why was his hand shaking? Why couldn't he finish this? It was so easy. She was lying there, completely helpless. It hadn't been that difficult with the others. Why couldn't he kill her now? It was just one swipe. If he did that, Hugo would give him what he wanted. Marian would be free. Marian would finally be free.

Why was he hesitating?

"I'm sorry," he mouthed, then slashed at Rutee.

Leon jerked awake and sat up, bathed in sweat. His heart was racing. For a heartbeat, he thought he could still see blood tainting his hands. But when he looked at them again, there was no trace of any blood left.

_ "Are you alright, young master?" _ Chaltier's voice was shrill with anxiety.

Sighing, Leon fell back with a thump. Just another nightmare. Just as expected. How could he even begin to think he'd be save from them for once? And to make it worse, he felt even more exhausted than before.

_ Maybe I should have just denied Elraine's offer _ , he thought.  _ I would be dead then, but that would be better for everything, right? How could I think I could accomplish something if I listened to her? _

_ "You mustn't think like that, young master!" _ Chaltier wailed.  _ "Nothing would be better if you were dead!" _

Leon stared at his ever so faithful Swordian. Now he was everything he had left. Even Marian had been taken away from him. How could he be so foolish and trust Hugo?

"Oh, I kept my word,  _ my son _ ," Hugo had taunted. "I will send her back where she can live in peace, and it is up to you whether you want to join her." His grin looked more like a snarl. "But remember that if you go back, you will be charged with high treason and before the rise of the sun be executed. Your dear Marian might get charged for conspiracy as well, though. Would you really risk her getting killed, just because you want to selfishly be with her?"

No, of course he wouldn't. After everything she had to suffer through, how could he? But it had shattered his heart nonetheless when he had been forced to watch her go, fighting back the tears he hadn't allowed himself to spill in front of Hugo.  _ 'Show no weakness.' _ He had learnt that ever since he was little. Crying meant weakness. But how could he not feel that way? How could he not lose ground? How could he just stand there and watch silently, as she was sent to her own death?

And yet, he had done nothing. He had let her go. He had let her die. She wouldn't right away, but it was only a matter of time until everyone below would die. Eventually, everything below the Aeth'ersphere would perish.

And Leon had let it happen.

* * *

 

Hesitating, Leon stopped in front of the door. His trembling hand found rest against it. Should he go inside? Either way, he was already signing his own death warrant. It was merely a matter of time, and if it meant that he could spend his last days with Marian and Chaltier, so be it.

On his way to the heart of Dycroft, he had passed Baruk and Ilene. Both had only acknowledged him with a solemn nod, but their faces had been blank. Were they starting to have doubts? Disobeying would mean their death, though, and Leon wasn't sure if they would go as far. How could any of them turn their backs now? They were in too deep. There was no way back for any of them now. The only thing Leon did know was that things were taking a different path than both would have thought, than he would have thought. He hadn't known it would escalate that way. But  _ what _ did he expect?

_ "No matter what happens, I'll always be with you," _ Chaltier vowed.  _ "I'll follow you everywhere. You are my master, after all. But even if you weren't, I would never leave you." _

For the first time in days, Leon felt the ghost of a smile tuck at his lips. "Thanks, Chal."

Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, but what he saw was far beyond his expectations. Hugo was crouching on the ground, face twisted with pain.

Instinctively, Leon rushed to his side. "Hugo! What's wrong...?"

Hugo pushed him away. "Don't come near me, you-!" He broke off, gasping in pain, as a spasm took hold of his body.

Frozen, Leon stared at him with round eyes. What was happening?

"Just... go a... away...!" Hugo begged. "Get into saf... ety, before... before it's too late...!"

Leon swallowed hard, unsure what to do. His mind was screaming for him to leave as quickly as he could, but no matter how much he urged his body to move, he felt frozen to the spot, unable to tear his gaze away.

"What are you waiting for?!" Hugo yelled at him and lunged out, but froze midway. He made a gargling sound and collapsed on the ground, his breath hitching.

Beside him appeared a man Leon hadn't seen before. He was watching Hugo with narrowed eyes, then kicked him out of his way. "Everything will be completed soon," the man announced. "You are no longer needed."

No longer needed? What did he mean by that?

Without bothering to acknowledge Leon's presence, the man turned around and walked towards the Eye of God. "Finally. I am finally able to take back what these damned Earth people had stolen from me," Leon heard him exclaim.

_ "What is Miktran doing here?!" _

Leon was about to ask Chaltier more about that Miktran, when his attention was drawn to Hugo gasping for breath. He crawled closer, his mouth gaping.

Slowly, Hugo turned to face him. Tears were welling up in his eyes.

Leon felt sick. He had never seen him like that before. All this time, Hugo was so cold and cruel towards him, apparently unable to show any emotions. So why was he crying all of a sudden? Why was he acting as if he cared about him all of a sudden?

"I'm sorry... my son," he rasped. "I never... wanted for this to hap... pen... but he controlled... me... and..." He coughed up blood.

Leon shook his head, unable to register what that man... his  _ father _ had just said. All this time, it wasn't Hugo who abused him? All this time, he had never actually  _ seen _ his father? Was everything in his life a lie?

"I can't... ask you to forgi... ve me... but please know... I always loved you... Emi... li... o..."

That couldn't be true. Nothing of this could really be happening.

"Hugo... father..." Leon bit his lip. How could everything go so wrong? Why did he never notice that Hugo wasn't his real self? How could he be so blind the entire time? "You're lying... right?" He had to be. "This is nothing but a joke, right...? It's a joke, right...?!" Blinded by tears, he started laughing. How could everything go so wrong? He started shaking Hugo's body. "Tell me it's a lie!" he demanded, his voice growing louder. "You've been lying to me all this time! Tell me this is just another one of your lies!"

_ "Young master..." _ Chaltier's voice almost didn't penetrate his mind.  _ "He's already dead..." _

Leon didn't progress his words. He couldn't. Instead, he rose to his feet, clenching his fists. "What was all this about becoming a hero, Elraine?!" he screamed. "I take it back! What kind of twisted world did you create?!" He shouldn't have listened her. How, oh how could he have believed her so blindly? He should have known that her vision of the world wouldn't be the salvation she had promised him. How could it be, when he was forced to suffer even worse than before?

But there was no way back. He couldn't undo what had happened. He couldn't resurrect his friends, his sister, his father, Marian. He could do nothing but watch as the cruel wheel of fate kept turning.

How could he let go of everything precious to him and toss it away, in hopes of having an empty promise fulfilled?

How could he let everything go astray?

How did he let all of this happen?


End file.
